Community Benefit Improvement District

In July 2014, the property owners of downtown Redwood City voted to approve the creation of a Community Benefit Improvement District (CBID) that is known today as the Redwood City Improvement Association (RCIA). The property owners created this association to fund special benefits above and beyond normal city services for the district to keep the downtown attractive, clean, safe, orderly, and well-publicized. The assessments, approved by the property owners, are collected as part of their yearly property bills and are then given to RCIA, a non-profit organization, to advance the District’s goals and priorities. To learn more about the Redwood City Improvement Association visit their website here.

Which property owners pay into the Association?

The District, as shown in the map below, consists of 194 parcels of land that are all charged an assessment. The annual assessments range in value from $18 to $53,000.

How are the Assessments calculated?

The assessments for each parcel are based on a formula that considers four factors for each parcel: benefit zone, parcel size, parcel street frontage length and developed building square footage. As new building square footage is constructed, the assessment is recalculated based on the improvements. The assessments can be increased no more than 5% annually with approval from the Board of Directors.

Is funding for schools or other services impacted by the creation of this district?

No, the money collected through this assessment are additional funds that the property owners voted to contribute. These funds can only be spent on goals and strategies laid out in the approved CBID Management District Plan. A copy of the plan can be found here.

How long will these Assessments be collected?

When the District was formed, the property owners approved a 15-year term. At the end of that term, the property owners will once again vote to determine if the District should continue or not.

Who governs the Association?

The City contracted with the Redwood City Improvement Association, a non-profit organization, to administer the annual revenues for the Community Benefit Improvement District. The Association is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors made up of Redwood City property owners, business professionals, City representatives and residents. A list of the current board members can be found here. Administrative services are provided by the Redwood City San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce.

What special benefits does the organization provide?

There are five basic categories of special benefit services that will be funded by the downtown Redwood City Community Benefit Improvement District. These categories are:

1. Sidewalk Operations and Beautification;

2. District Identity;

3. Parking Management;

4. Program Management and Corporate Operations; and

5. Contingency/Reserve 15

Board members may prioritize these special benefits -- within the same category -- each year as needed. For example, sidewalk cleaning may be a priority one year, while beautification programs may take precedence another year. Both of these services fall within the same special benefit category.

What projects have been completed so far?

Since the formation of the Redwood City Improvement Association, the District has seen the implementation of weekly sidewalk cleaning, subsidized valet parking on Friday and Saturday nights, the creation of the Magic Lantern 3D Light Show at Courthouse Square, the installation of the sidewalk shadow art and more.

What else can I expect in the coming year?

Keep your eye out for much more from the Redwood City Improvement Association, including new art installations, shade umbrellas on Courthouse Square, street waste-bag dispensers for our furry friends and new tree lights throughout the downtown District.